e chosen her if
I had been obliged to make the choice. She made me feel sorry for her
sake, to hear that the mother had made up her mind to leave. In the
morning I gave her her fee of twenty guineas and a handsome ring as a
mark of my peculiar friendship, and we spent the day in getting ready our
habits for the ride of the day following.

Gabrielle got on horseback as if she had had two years in the riding
school. We went along the streets at a walking pace, but as soon as we
were in the open country we broke into a furious gallop, and kept it up
till we got to Barnet, where we stopped to breakfast. We had done the
journey in twenty-five minutes, although the distance is nearly ten
miles. This may seem incredible, but the English horses are wonderfully
swift, and we were all of us well mounted. My two nymphs looked
ravishing. I adored them, and I adored myself for making them so happy.

Just as we were remounting, who should arrive but Lord Pembroke. He was
on his way to St. Alban's. He stopped his horse, and admired the graceful
riding of my two companions; and not recognizing them immediately, he
begged leave to pay his court to them. How I laughed to myself! At last
he recognized them, and congratulated me on my conquest, asking if I
loved Hippolyta. I guessed his meaning, and said I only loved Gabrielle.

"Very good," said he; "may I come and see you?"

"Certainly," I replied.

After a friendly hand-shake we set out once more, and were soon back in
London.

Gabrielle was done up and went to bed directly; she slept on till the
next morning without my disturbing her peaceful sleep, and when she awoke
and found herself in my arms, she began to philosophise.

"How easy it is," said she, "to be happy when one is rich, and how sad it
is to see happiness out of one's reach for lack of a little money.
Yesterday I was the happiest of beings, and why should I not be as happy
all my days? I would gladly agree that my life should be short provided
that it should be a happy one."

I, too, philosophised, but my reflections were sombre. I saw my resources
all but exhausted, and I began to meditate a journey to Lisbon. If my
fortune had been inexhaustible, the Hanoverians might have held me in
their silken fetters to the end of my days. It seemed to me as if I loved
them more like a father than a lover, and the fact that I slept with them
only added to the tenderness of the tie. I looked into Gabrielle's eyes,
and there I